Button



A. LATHAM.

BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED FEB., J9,1919- 1,388,469. Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT LATHAM, 015 BEVERLY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN BUTTON &FASTENER (10., OF AUGUSTA, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented An. 23, 1921.

To all w from it may concern Be it known that I, .ALBERT LA'lI-IAM, acitizen of the United States, residing at Beverly, in the county ofEssex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements inButtons, of which the following description, in connection withtheaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters onthe drawings indicat ing like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to buttons, and especially to that type in whichthere is a body or head of pearl or other material, with separatelyformed members for securing or at taching said body to articles to whichit is to fasten. An object of the invention is to so combine the bodyand securing means as to produce a firm, stable structure in which theelements will neither move relatively to one another, nor separate inuse of the button, and in the making of which no breaking strain isthrown upon the body.

In the accomplishment of this purpose, a feature of the inventionconsists ofa buttonbody in which is an opening, and securing membersextending into the opening from opposite sides, one ofthe memberspreferably being expansible and the other cooperating therewith toeffect its expansion by permanent deformation, the two members beingfirmly united to one another and to the body. One of the members mayfurnish means for attaching the button to the article with which it isto be used, and may take the form of an eye. It preferably has oppositeshank portions entering the button-opening, where it is engaged by theother securing member, as a retaining stud, which is shown as extendingbetween the shank portions. To fix the parts in the desired relationmore effectively, one of the securing members, as the shank of theattaching eye, may be forced. over a surface of the body by the othermember at an angle to the latter. In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention, a head or enlargement upon the stud accomplishes this bypressing against and deflecting the ends of the shank. A better finishis imparted to the button by providing a recess about the body-openingwhich receives the enlargement ofthe stud member, together with theturned-over portion of the shank.

To look the securing members to one another, and thus strengthen thebutton structure without throwing strain upon the body,

an additional feature of the invention consists in upsetting one of themembers toward the other to effect positive engagement between them. Theintegrity of the union is increased by providing one of the securingmembers with a reduced portion, which a portion of another securingmember onters.

To prevent lateral movement of the securmg members in the body-opening,as a fui thcr feature of the invention, both of said members contactwith the body within the opening, each member preferably having suchcontact at opposite sides. That is, not only may the permanentlydeformed member bear upon the body at separated points, but also theexpanding member. The expansible member is shown as having a recess,which may consist of a generally cylindrical recess furnished by acurved depres sion in each shank portion. In any event, I prefer to havethe expanding member or stud conform to this recess and have lateralprojections or projecting portions extending therefrom for contact withthe body of the button.

In the accompanying drawing,

Figure lillustrates in side elevation, with the body of the button insection, one form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 shows the retaining stud in perspective;

Fig. t illustrates the elements of the but ton placed ready forassembling;

Fig. 5 is a view, similar to Fig. l, of another form of my invention;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line G---6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the stud of the button illustrated in 5and 6.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and. 3, the body or head of my improved buttoncommonly consists of a disk 10 of motheuof-pearl or other suitablenatural or fabricated material, though this body may take any otherdesired form. Extending axially of the body is a cylindrical opening 12,about which, at one side of the body, is a concentric cylindrical recess14. Entering the opening from opposite sides of the body are securingmembers 16 and 18. The first of these appears as an eye constructed ofwire bent to surround the attaching opening 20. When the eye is thus theopening into the recess, such length'tha't, when bent outwardly, theyformed, there is a shank having independent parallel or oppositeportions 22, 22 extending from the under side of the body through andbeing of will lie within the side walls of said recess, In the adjacentsides of theseshank portions are shown opposite depressions 24, 24co6p-.,

crating to furnish a partly cylindrical recess preferably generallyconforms in contour to the recess between the shank portions, being inthe resent instance circular in cross-section. its maximum diameter atcauses itto have a drivin or forcing fit within the shank recess,-the reation being such that the Shank portion 'is expanded and forced againstthe walls of the button-opening. The inner extremityof the stud at thebottom of the recess is inclined or tapered at 32, the surfacesconverging toward the end, thus permitting the ready introduction of thestud into the recess. From the line 30 of maximum diameter in theopposite direction from the tapered end 32, the stud is also preferablytapered at 34toward a head 36, the outer face'of which is shown asconvex.- There isthus formed in'the'stud a reduced rtion between thehead and the line 30. rom the body of the stud areopposote lateralprojections or fins 38, 38, the diameter of the stud between the ends ofthese projec tions being substantially equalto that of the i bodyopening.

In assembling the elements of this button,

the shank of the eye is introduced into the -1. This forces the shankthe incline 34 of the stud, their displacement body-opening until .the ee abuts against the under surface of the b0 y, with the ends of theshank projecting through the recess toward or beyond the opposite faceof the body. 'The end 32 of the stud is then placed in alinement withthe shank recess and pressure applied to these two securing members toforce the stud into the recess; see Fig. 4 of the drawing. The firsteffect is to expand the shank against the body, and then, as the underside of. the head 36 contacts with the inclined surfaces 26, 26, theends of the shank portions, under the influence of this inclination arebent outwardly over the inner wall of the recess, as appears in Fig.portions at'50 over causingthem to enter the reduced portion between theline 30 and the head 36, and

positively locks the two securing members together, so that theexpansion of the attachlng member'dlrectly against the wall of theopenmg may. be slight, exerting no apat points between or substantiallyat 90 degrees from the shank, as best appears in Fig. 2. Consequently,movement here is also prevented, and the members are positively lockedagainst lateral play in the body.

The button of Figs. 5 to 7 differs from that illustrated in Figs. 1 to4, inclusive, chiefly in the arrangement of the adjacent surfaces of theshank and the form of the stud cooperating with these. The shanksurfaces 40, 40 appear in this form of my improved button as planes, andto engage these the stud 42, instead of having a transversel curved bodywith lateral projections, is so ormed that sections at right angles tothe axis of the stud are substantially rectangles, the long edges ofwhich lie in the sides 43, 43 of the stud; see Fig. 6. The stud isoppositely tapered from a maximum thickness at 44 over surfaces 46 and48 similarl to the stud of the button first describe producing inassembling the same effect. Otherwise, the elements and their relationsare substantially identical with those of the button of Figs. 1 to 4.

In my copending applications filed March 10, 1919, and Oct. 2, 1919 andrespectively bearing the Serial Numbers 281,836 and 327,937, otherspecies of button, to which this case is generic, are described andclaimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A button comprising a body having an opening therethrough, a securingmember having an expansible portion extending into the opening, and amember entering the opening at the opposite side and 00- operating withthe securing member to permanently deform it.

2. A button comprising a body having an opening therethrough, a recesssurrounding the opening, a securing member having an expansible portionextending into the opening at the side opposite the recess, and a'memberentering the opening to engage and expand the securing member, saidmember having an enlargement located within the recess and engaging theexpansible portion.

3. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye having oppositeshank portions extending into the opening, and means entering betweenthe shank portions to retain them within the body and hold the'eye inposition for attachment.

4. A. button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberhaving opposite shank portions extending into the opening, there being adepression in each shank portion, and means entering the shankdepressions to retain the attaching member within the body.

5. A button comprising a body having at one side a recess and at theother side an opening leading into the recess, asecuring member providedwith portions extending through the opening into the recess, and amember having a reduced portion into which the ends of the securingmember are bent.

6. A button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberentering the opening, and means permanently deforming the member toforce it over a surface of the body.

7 A button comprising a body having an opening therethrough, a recesssurrounding the opening, a securing member extendin through the openinginto the recess, and means contacting with the end of the securingmember and forcing it into the recess.

8. A button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberhaving opposite shank portions extending into the opening, and meansentering between the shank portions to upset them over a surface of thebody.

9. A button comprising a body having an opening therethrough, andopposite securing members extending from outside the body into theopening, one of said members being provided with separated portions eachhaving a recess and the other having an inclined surface entering therecesses.

10. A button comprising a bodyhaving an opening therethrough, andopposite securing members extending into the opening, one of saidmembers having a recess and the other entering the recess and havingsurfaces diverging from one another toward opposite sides of the body.

11. A button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberentering the opening and having an inclined surface, and a member havinga head situated at the exterior of the body and engaging the inclinedsurface to deflect the attaching member.

12. A button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberentering the opening and having an inclined surface, and a member havinga surface engaging the inclined surface to deflect a perma nentlydeformed portion of the attaching member over the body.

13. A button comprising a body, an attaching member provided withseparated portions within the body, and a retaining member situatedbetween and in contact with the portions of the attaching member, theends of said portions being turned outwardl'y from the points of contactat an angle to the retaining member. 14. A button comprising a body, aneye having separated portions which within the body have reducedportions, and a stud pro vided with a head and a recess, the head of thestud cooperating with the eye portions to force them into the recess.

15. A button comprisinga body, an eye having separated portions whichwithin the body are provided with. inclined surfaces, and a studprovided with a head and a recess, the head contactin with the inclinedsurfaces to force them into the recess.

16. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided withan expan sible shank extending into the opening, and a stud engaging theshank to expand it, said stud having a head contacting with the shank.

17. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided withan expansible shank extending into the opening, and a stud engaging theshank to expand it, said stud having a head contacting with the shankover a face of the body.

18. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided withan expansible shank extending into the opening, and a stud extendinginto the opening at the opposite side from the eye and having oppositelyinclined surfaces for engagement with the shank to expand it within thebody.

19. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided withan ex pansible shank extending into the openin and a, stud, each of theopposite sides of which has oppositely inclined surfaces engaging theshank.

20. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye formed of wirebent to fun nish a double shank entering the opening, and a studextending between the portions of the shank on the opposite'side of thebody from the eye and contacting with said shank to force it against thebody.

21. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye formed of wirebent to furnish a double shank entering the opening, and a studextending between the portions of the shank and having a head contactingwith the shank portions. 7

22. A button comprising a body having an opening surrounded by a recessat one side, an eye formed of wire bent to furnish a double shankextending through the opening into the recess, and a stud enteringbetween the shank portions and having a head contacting therewith in therecess.

23. A button comprising a body having an opening, opposite securingmembers, one of which is expansible and extends into the opening andcontacts with the body at separated points, and the other memberengaging its companion to permanently deform it within the opening andalso contacting with the bodyat separated points. 7

1 24. V A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye havingshanks entering the opening, and meansengaging the shanks to secure thee e to 'the'body and contacting with the body within theopening toretain the said eye against lateral movement.

25. A button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberprovided with separated portions entering the opening and having arecess in each portion, and a securing member contacting with theopposite walls of the recesses and extending between, said walls intocontact with the body.

26. A buttoncomprising a body having an opening, .an attaching memberprovided with separated portions entering the opening and having arecess in each portion, and a securing member contacting with andcorresponding in contour to both recesses and extending between saidwalls into contact with the body.

27. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided with ashank having separated portions contacting with the body in the opening,and a stud engaging the shank portions and contacting with the bodybetween the shank portions.

V 28- A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided witha shank having separated portions contacting with the body in theopening, a stud having a central portion engaging the shank portions,and lateral projections extending between the shank portions.

29. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided with ashankhaving separated portions contacting with'the body in the opening,a stud having a central portion engaging the shank portions, and lateralprojections extending between the shank ortions into contactwith thebody.

30. button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided with ashank having separated portions inwhich is a partly cylindrical recess,and a stud having a portion substantially circular in section to enterthe recessand projections extending between the shank portions.

31. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided with ashank havin separated portions contacting with the bo dy'in the opening,and a tapered stud engaging the shank portions and contacting with thebody between the shank portions.

32. A button comprising a body having an opening, an eye provided with ashank having separated portions contacting with the body in the opening,and a stud engaging the shank portions and contacting with the bodybetween the shank portions, said stud having a head overlying the body.

33. A button comprising a body, and a plurality of securing memberstherefor, one of said securing members being upset toward another toeffect positive engagement. 34. A button comprising a body, and aplurality of securing members therefor, one of said securing membershaving a reduced portion which a permanently deformed portion of anothersecuring member enters.

35. A button comprising a body, an eye having separated portions whichwithin the body have reduced portions, and a stud provided with a headand a recess, the head of the stud cooperating with the eye portions todisplace parts thereof into the recess.

36. A button comprising a body having an opening, an attaching memberentering the opening and having an inclined surface, and a member havinga surface engaging the inclined surface to deflect the attaching memberlaterally and to force it toward said engaging member.

37. Abutton comprising a body, an eye having separated shanks enteringthe body, and a retaining member situated between the eye shanks andhaving a reduced portion to receive said shanks.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

- ALBERT LATHAM.

